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Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row strength standards

What is a good Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row is about 73 lb (0.41x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 94 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.33. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 17 28 41 57 75
120 21 32 46 63 82
130 24 36 51 69 88
140 27 40 56 74 94
150 31 44 60 79 100
160 34 48 65 84 105
170 37 51 69 89 111
180 40 55 73 94 116
190 43 58 77 98 121
200 46 62 81 103 126
210 49 65 85 107 131
220 51 68 89 112 136
230 54 72 92 116 140
240 57 75 96 119 145
250 60 78 99 123 149
260 63 81 103 127 153
270 65 84 106 131 157
280 68 87 110 135 161
290 70 90 113 138 165
300 73 92 116 142 169
310 75 95 119 145 173

The Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Standards by Age

How the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 29 43 61 82 105
20 33 50 70 94 120
25 34 51 72 96 123
30 34 51 72 96 123
35 34 51 72 96 123
40 34 51 72 96 123
45 32 48 68 91 116
50 30 45 64 85 109
55 28 42 59 79 101
60 26 38 54 72 92
65 23 34 49 65 83
70 21 31 44 58 75
75 18 28 39 52 67
80 17 25 35 47 60
85 15 22 31 42 54
90 14 20 28 38 48

The Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 73 lbs (0.41x bodyweight) on the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

You can perform the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Your Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

You have built substantial back development through the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Your Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row demonstration
Primary Muscles middle-back
Equipment dumbbell
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["With a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing your torso), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward by bending at the waist; as you bend make sure to keep your back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The weights should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.","While keeping the torso stationary, lift the dumbbells to your side (as you breathe out), keeping the elbows close to the body (do not exert any force with the forearm other than holding the weights). On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.","Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.","Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions."]

Tips

["Category: Strength","Force: Pull","Movement type: Compound"]

Read the complete Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.33 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.33 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.